Gillette Law - August 2017

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ILLETTE

GAZETTE

AUGUST 2017

WE ALL HAVE GIFTS TO SHARE HURRICANES AND HISTORY

THE UNTOLD STORY

Many of you were here when Hurricane Isabel raged across the East Coast in 2003. The category-1 storm killed 36 people across the state and was the costliest disaster in the history of Virginia, causing almost $2 billion in damages. Thousands of trees were downed, and over 1 million people were left without power. We’ve seen our fair share of tropical storms in this part of the country. My wife and I lived through Hurricane Floyd and Hurricane Dennis. Both of those experiences were stark reminders of how important it is to be prepared for storms. (See article on page 2.)

Over the course of a few days, it ravaged up the coast, destroying important colonial strongholds and disrupting military operations on both sides of the war. Over 4,000 Americans died — almost 2 percent of the total population. (That would be like losing 5 million Americans today.) It was a tragedy of the highest order, but as you’ll read in my friend’s book, destiny definitely took a hand. There were stories of heroism, endurance, and old-school American courage that accompanied the storm. After all, in those days, hurricanes were seen as omens from God. The fact that it came in the midst of our fight for independence had a profound effect on people and yielded unexpected results. By the end, we lost many lives, but it may have helped turn the tide in our fight for independence. It’s a fascinating read that encompasses more than the storm itself, but the entire essence of the revolution, including the perspective of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. I don’t want you to simply take my word for it. This month, I’m happy to give away a free copy of “Hurricane of Independence: The Untold Story” to four lucky winners ! I know we have some history buffs out there that will see this as a real page-turner just like I did. You can enter to win it at GLGVIP.com. Good luck!

Me with author Tony Williams

These storms are not new; hurricanes have played a remarkable role in American history. I’m not just talking about Hurricane Katrina or the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, which killed 8,000 people. Did you know that a hurricane actually helped the Continental Army during a pivotal time in the Revolutionary War? This fact came to my attention when my friend, Tony Williams, wrote a book about it. “Hurricane of Independence: The Untold Story” tells the story of September 2, 1775, when the eighth- deadliest hurricane in history struck the East Coast.